Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-11-04
THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.

Elections - The Whites Elect Two.
Thirds OF Both Houses $500, 900
All the Government Realized on It's
100000 Loan.
Honolulu, October 3, 1887.
To THE EDITOR OF THE TINES
When the Congress of the United
States granted the Hawaiian govern
ment treaty of commerce-June IL,
I lS76-Article V. shows it was the in.
tention of Congress to pave the way
for annexation, and to prevent these
Islands from falling into the hands of
Great Britain or Germany. II either
OF these powers should hold these
Islands in case of war with tho Amer
lean government, they would be able,
with their superior war-ships, to com,
mand the entrance to the Golden
Gate and destroy the commerce to
and from American cities on the Pa
cific Coast.
1t is more than probable that it was
the intention of Congress to pave the
way by slow progress for the annexa-
ton of the Islands to the United
States, in order to obtain a naval sta
ton here in Pearl River Bay, that
could be made impregnable by ex-
pending few millions, and would be
a safe rendezvous for all the shipping
in the North Pacific.
Our former government, immedi-
ately after obtaining the treaty tina,
saved it from bankruptcy and placed
our sugar planters on the highway to
prosperity, passed laws that have
driven the American laborer from the
country and caused foreign capitalists
to withdraw their money and seek a
safer country for investment. King
Kalakaua was one of the first to show
his ingratitude to the Americans who
used their influence to obtain the
treaty that saved the country from
retrogression, and himself from being
obliged to throw aside his royal deco
rations and take his place in tarrow-
patch beside the ordinary Kanaka; for
he Immediately caused laws to be
| placed on our statute books allowing
the Islands to become a receiving
station for the worst kind of criminals
from British Hong Kong, coolies from
the Chinese Empire and name eaters
from the South seas, in order to sup
ply Hawaiian plantations with cheap
contract labor. This has made the
most of them wealthy, but the policy
compelled many of our merchants to
close their stores for want OF patron
age owing to the competition of the
| Cinnamon. Tradesmen and field la.
borers have been compelled to leave
for want Of employment. What few
now remain are compelled to trust to
their cumming qualifications in order
to subsist
These Islands, peopled by a mixed
population of various nationalties,
being situated on a line that is be.
coming one of the most important
national highways of commerce, are
now seriously attracting the attention
of foreign statesmen. On account of
the fast-increasing commerce and
passenger traffic, their sugar and rice
productions, their beautiful scenery
and fine climate, they are destined,
in the early future, to command the
commerce of the Pacific. The United
States should own them.
Great Britain and Germany, fully
alive to the situation, are epdeavoring,
in every possible way, to ingratiate
themselves with the government and
people here; but the United States,
which should possess the islands,
seems to give them no attention what
ever. And yet the day cannot be
very distant when there will have to
be a change, when either Germany,
Great Britain or the United States
must assume protectorate over these
islands, and if the United States does
not either of the others will.
The elections under the new Con.
stitution have just taken place with
out any serious outbreaks. The native
vote was about equally divided, one
half voting with the whites, the other
half for native candidates. The whites
voted solidly. Result: 4S mobiles and
representatives elected by the plant,
ers' party, which will have a two